What Happened To Salman Khan's Ramayana? Film Was Shelved Due To Sohail Khan's Love Affair

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What Happened To Salman Khan's Ramayana? Film Was Shelved Due To Sohail Khan's Love Affair

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Last Updated: August 06, 2026, 18:18 IST

In the early 1990s, Sohail Khan envisioned a cinematic adaptation of Ramayana. While Salman Khan was set to portray Lord Ram, Sonali Bendre was finalised for the role of Sita.

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Salman Khan's 90s Ramayana was shelved.

Ranbir Kapoor is gearing up for the release of his most-awaited movie, Ramayana. However, do you know that long before Ranbir stepped into the shoes of Lord Ram for Nitesh Tiwari’s directorial, Salman Khan was reportedly set to play the character in another ambitious adaptation of the Hindu mythological epic. The project was being helmed by his brother Sohail Khan in the 1990s. While its shoot had also begun, the film was then shelved because of a Sohail’s love affair. Let’s exactly what happened with Salman Khan’s Ramayana:

Salman Khan Was Set To Play Lord Ram

In the early 1990s, Sohail Khan reportedly envisioned a lavish cinematic adaptation of the Ramayana. While Salman Khan was set to portray Lord Ram, Sonali Bendre was finalised for the role of Sita. The project was expected to be an ambitious mythological spectacle. According to reports, preparations for the film progressed significantly, with portions of the project reportedly being shot.

Sohail Khan’s Love Affair Disrupted Film

Things took a drastic turn after Sohail Khan and Pooja Bhatt got into a romantic relationship during the filming of the movie. A report by Mid-Day noted that Pooja had even spoken about the possibility of marriage around 1995.

However, the relationship allegedly did not receive the approval of Sohail’s family. It is said that veteran screenwriter Salim Khan, Sohail’s father, disapproved of his relationship with Pooja Bhatt. He was reportedly concerned about the implications of the relationship and advised his son to end it.

This created tensions around the project. Pooja subsequently exited Ramayana, and the film’s ambitious plans began to unravel. According to the reports, efforts were made to keep the project alive, but the film was eventually shelved. It is said that approximately 40% of the film had been shot before the project was cancelled.

Ramayana Back With Ranbir Kapoor

Decades later, Ramayana has once again become a major talking point, this time with Ranbir Kapoor playing Lord Ram. Nitesh Tiwari is directing the new adaptation, which is being mounted on a larger scale and is planned as a two-part epic.

Besides Ranbir, the film also stars Sai Pallavi and Yash, as Sita and Ravan, respectively. While the first part of Ramayana will hit theatres on November 6, 2026, the second part will be released on Diwali 2027.

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About the Author Chirag Sehgal Chirag Sehgal works as a Senior Sub-Editor in the Entertainment team at News18.com. With an experience of five years in the media industry, he largely focuses on Indian television coverage. Apart from... Read More

First Published: August 06, 2026, 18:18 IST